When we get reports of a raised patio deck pitching down, sliding glass doors in the patio walls binding, and doors not latching anymore, we begin by measuring the pitch of the floor and walls to help determine what is… Read More
Category Archives: Wood
Old Fracture or New Fracture?
Roof framing that has been exposed to a substantial weight of ice and snow exhibits fractures (see the featured photograph). Were the fractures caused by the recent accumulation of ice and snow? How can the history (age) of a wood… Read More
What Can Happen to Unbraced Wood Truss Web Members? Part III
So, to continue on from last weeks post. How did we know that the wood trusses had buckled sideways previously and were reset? Examination of the top chord in the featured photograph shows two nails saw off flush with the… Read More
What Can Happen to Unbraced Wood Truss Web Members? Part II
So, what happens when the web members of a wood truss are not braced laterally as specified by the truss manufacturer? When a wood truss is designed and constructed by a truss manufacturer, the manufacturer commonly provides drawings that show… Read More
What Can We Tell From These Photos? (Case Study 19)
The roof surface exhibits a deep trough near scupper through which the roof drains. The roof runoff can’t drain off the roof until it fills and overflows the trough. The trough has been present for months, as evidenced by the… Read More
What Can We Tell From This Photo? (Case Study 18)
One of my favorite sayings is, “When something doesn’t look quite right, it probably isn’t.” This maxim has served me well, both professionally and personally. Some would probably call it “instinct” or “the subconscious mind.” Whatever it is called it… Read More
What Happens When… There is a Knot in a Truss Web Member?
Here we have a truss web member that is fully fractured. Close examination of the fracture discloses a knot that extends from the top face down to the bottom face, nearly the full width of the member (Figure 1). The… Read More
A Case Study of the Weathering of Treated Lumber
How quickly does treated lumber weather? Here is a photo I took of a picnic table near our office on June 15, 2016 Here is the same table from a similar angle approximately nine months later. The lumber has… Read More